Variable-Frequency Drives Upgrade Reactor Circulating Pumps

Variable-Frequency Drives Upgrade
Reactor Circulating Pumps

A recent trend in nuclear power plant upgrades has been the replacement of the motor-
generator (MG) sets that drive the reactor circulating pumps with variable-frequency
drives (VFD). Siemens’ first application of VFDs in this industry began in 2000 with an
installation of six VFDs at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. The use of the VFD
continues to expand, and upgrades were recently completed at several U.S. plants,
including the Hatch Nuclear Plant in Georgia.
MG sets were originally used to drive the reactor circulating pumps (Figure 1). Their
purpose was to control reactor reactivity by changing pump speed and therefore the
rate of fluid flow through a boiling water reactor. Today, pumps retrofitted with VFDs
permit much more precise speed control and have the potential for achieving speeds
(and fluid flow) above the speed set by the line frequency of 60 Hz. An added benefit is
the combination of an AC induction motor powered by a VFD, which results in a much
more efficient combination than an MG set. The VFD can provide very slow acceleration
rates when low-power operation is required. Because raising pump speeds raises
reactor power, plants are very cautious about speed control.
1. Three-ring circus. The tertiary loop of the pressurized water reactor uses a

circulating pump to condense the turbine exhaust steam. By using a variable-frequency
drive to control the circulating pump, significant reductions in auxiliary power are
possible, as well much more precise control of the reactor. Source: Siemens LDA
Replacement of the MG sets addresses the obsolescence and maintenance issues
associated with this older technology but also yields several advantages once VFDs are
installed and operating.
Considerable Efficiency Savings

Typical MG sets are less than 70% efficient compared to the current technology,
Siemens’ Perfect Harmony VFDs, which have efficiencies of greater than
95%. In fact, the actual measured efficiencies at full load for eight new VFDs installed in
nuclear plants in the U.S. ranged from 95.7% up to 96.6% for various loads and speeds.
At full load and full speed (usually 60 Hz), the maximum efficiency of about 96.5% is
achieved.
When considering a VFD upgrade, make sure that an integral transformer and input and
output filter components are part of the package. Not all suppliers include these
components as part of the VFD system; if that is the case, they must be separately
added. These components can add anywhere from 0.5% to 1% of additional losses, so
a purchaser must also ensure that quoted efficiency includes the losses of all the
system components, not just those that are part of the quoted package.
With the large-horsepower motors currently used on the circulation pumps, the savings
due to efficiency improvement is significant. One plant that replaced MG sets with VFDs
has reported a reduction in house load of 2.7 MW when two 5,600-hp VFDs were
installed. Another plant reported a reduction in house load of 4 MW when two VFDs
were installed in a 7,300-hp application. The investment payback for those two projects
was approximately one year based on house load reductions alone. Other VFD
advantages, such as increased load, will further shorten the investment payback (Figure
2).
2. Inspired investment. In addition to more precise load control,
a VFD is more efficient than an MG set. Expect to enjoy
between a 1 MW and 4 MW reduction in auxiliary loads using
a VFD and a payback of the investment within one year.
Courtesy: Siemens LDA
Precise Speed Control
MG sets are usually difficult to control, especially when trying to maintain power
production at the maximum allowable level. The Siemens Perfect Harmony VFDs can
predictably and accurately control the circulating pump speed to within 1 rpm of the
desired speed command. This allows the plant to operate closer to the allowed thermal
power limit of the reactor.
Operating closer to the reactor thermal power limit allows the plant to generate
additional electricity. The amount of additional energy is plant-dependent but usually
results in an extra 1 MW to 4 MW when using VFDs. If a plant can currently operate
within 3 MW or 4 MW of the plant’s licensed limit with MG set controls, then typically an
extra 1 MW is available when using the Siemens VFD. In some cases, plants can only
reliably maintain MG set control within 12 MW to 15 MW of their thermal limit. In those
situations, a 4-MW increase can be achieved with the addition of the VFD control. This
is a significant cost advantage to a plant, and the return on investment is often as great
as the house load reduction from improved VFD efficiencies.
Precise Power Maneuvering

As a safeguard to prevent damage to nuclear fuel and fuel rods, laminar circulating
water flow is desired, as well as slow rates of power increase. These rates of increase
are diligently enforced by the plant. Achieving these desired slow ramp rates when
raising power levels is difficult with MG sets due to their unpredictable control stability.
That is, a demand change to an MG set may not result in any speed increase, or the
speed increase may be more than what was originally requested. With the precise
speed control provided by VFDs, raising power is predicable and power ascension is
always within established limits.
Improved System Reliability

The Siemens VFD was specifically designed for high-availability applications that
require continued operation in the event of an equipment failure. This particular VFD
topology has several layers of redundancy and robustness designed into the system,
including N + 2 redundancy for the power converter section, fast cell bypass that will
automatically bypass a failed power cell, and redundant control systems that will
automatically switch over to a duplicate control system in the event of a primary control
system failure. The VFD will continue to run at full power if up to two power modules fail,
a primary microprocessor controller fails, or a programmable logic controller controlling
the system inputs and outputs fails.
Virtually every major component is redundant, which has given the VFD the ability to
operate even after every major system has a component failure. This process (reactor
pump) over product (VFD) philosophy improves reliability and leads to fewer power
reductions caused by circulation system problems.
Reduced Environmental Issues

Replacing an MG set with a VFD eliminates several other systems in the plant, including
the oil used in the mechanical coupling between the motor and generator in the MG set.
This results in an environmental improvement, as routine oil disposal is no longer
required. In addition, special fire protection systems that are in place to protect against
potential oil fires can be eliminated. Additional cost savings associated with eliminating
these systems and maintenance processes may be achievable.
Currently, more than 50 individual VFDs are scheduled for incorporation into various
nuclear plants, primarily in the U.S., in both boiling water reactors and pressurized water
reactors.

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Variable-Frequency Drives Upgrade

Reactor Circulating Pumps

1. Three-ring circus. The tertiary loop of the pressurized water reactor uses a

Considerable Efficiency Savings

Precise Power Maneuvering

Improved System Reliability

Reduced Environmental Issues

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